World Cup 2010: The controversy of the Jabulani | OneFootball

Playing at the World Cup is arguably the biggest achievement any footballer can accomplish, but it’s not just the players that can dominate the headlines at the biggest international tournament in world football.

Sometimes, it is can something like the football itself that can create a ton of controversy, and that was certainly the case when it came to the 2010 World Cup and the Adidas Jabulani.

The 2010 World Cup was one of the most memorable tournaments ever, from Tshabalala’s goal in the opening game for hosts South Africa to Spain winning the tournament for the first time in their history, but we’ll be looking at the ball itself in this article!

Here is everything you need to know about the Adidas Jabulani and why there was so much controversy regarding the football during the World Cup 2010.

Why is the Jabulani so controversial?

As noted, the main talking point throughout the 2010 tournament was the controversy surrounding football. It certainly wasn’t the first time that there was controversy surrounding a ball at a World Cup, as complaints had occurred at the previous two, in 2006 with the Teamgeist and 2002 with the Fevernova.

The problem with the 2010 World Cup ball was that the Jabulani was far too light. Developers at Adidas incorporated grip and groove technology alongside its 3D panels making the Jabulani ball extremely aerodynamic.

Its design and technology created numerous complaints from players in the tournament but also allowed certain players to relish the Jabulani at their feet.

Why does the Jabulani work so well for knuckleballs?

The Jabulani got so many complaints due to it catering so much to players who are knuckleball specialists.

Knuckling a football is when a ball is struck with zero spins. The zero spin on the ball makes a shot unpredictable for goalkeepers due to the stream of air that the ball travels in being unusual.

The main problem with the ball was its weight. It was so light that it increased the ball’s speed when struck, which was a pain for goalkeepers, defenders and strikers.

Which footballer was the best with the Jabulani?

The star of the show in the 2010 World Cup was Uruguay legend Diego Forlan, who had seemed to master the Jabulani as he would score some unbelievable goals which saw him win the golden boot.

Most notable was the goal of the tournament, where Forlan would thunder in a volley against Germany in the third-place playoff.

What was the football at the Qatar World Cup?

The football for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar was revealed as ‘Al Rihla,’ which is Arabic for ‘The Journey.’

The ball’s appearance takes inspiration from the architecture, iconic boats and flag of Qatar and was designed with a CTR-Core to improve accuracy and consistency. Also, a Speedshell that sees a new 20-piece panel shape enhance aerodynamics.